Diet & Exercise

The keys to continual improvement in your fitness level are always having a highly motivating goal and adding sufficient variety to your routine to keep it challenging and fun.

My background in diet and exercise is very strongly rooted in the basic, fundamental principles of exercise and nutrition science. I have been training in bodybuilding gyms since I was about 17 years old—so pretty much my entire adult life. Bodybuilding, if done well, requires a high degree of knowledge of anatomy, physiology, muscle and joint function, movement, exercise science, and nutrition and supplementation. I have read dozens of books on these subjects, and within the last couple of years became a Certified Personal Trainer. I was also an avid runner in my earlier years and competed in many 5, 10 and 15 K’s. I have a real passion for exercise, especially the intense, Type A variety.

Did you know that protein consumption can be the key to consistent weight loss? Or that stretching has several benefits beyond just improved flexibility, including releasing energy? Regardless of your current fitness level, I can help you quickly and steadily progress to the next level.

Note to readers: In the New Year I will be posting articles less frequently as I have a lot going on this year. I really appreciate all of you, my faithful readers, and I wish for you and your families a healthy and prosperous 2017! It’s almost comical how often so-called “healthy eating […]

People think they can’t lose weight because they eat when they are bored, depressed, lonely, anxious, or any other slew of emotions. But an even more fundamental reason they can’t lose weight is due to the primal instinct of fear. Think about prehistoric man/woman and their constant struggle for food to sustain life. Things were […]

This is the second article in my series on the benefits of a balanced physique. The first addressed men, and this post focuses on women. Women tend to do the opposite of what men do in the gym. (What a surprise, huh? They can never just agree with us.) While men favor exercising their upper […]

First, let me just say that if you do any weight/resistance training at all, then you should be congratulated because this type of exercise demands a lot of effort. Most people simply don’t have the motivation and energy to do this type of training. So as a result of your hard work, you are much […]

This is the first of two articles on common New Year’s resolutions. This post addresses the goal of losing weight, and next week’s will be about achieving financial security. Many of us have a dysfunctional relationship with food. It is such an easy trap to fall into. When I was working and had a stressful […]

I keep up to date on all of the latest diet and exercise research because it is an area of interest of mine. There are always new ideas coming out, partly because science waits for no man (or woman), and also because people are willing to spend a lot of money in the hopes of […]

When I meet someone who maintains a healthy weight I invariably engage them in a discussion about how they watch what they eat. Every now and then I hear something new, but most of the time they use the same key principles that all healthy eaters seem to have discovered. One key concept that all […]

This is both a common and important question. If you weight train too infrequently, you will get little to no results. If you train too often, or work body parts in the wrong order, you will not get maximum results from your efforts. If there is one thing I hate to see it is someone […]

When I first began personal training with my good friend, Bill Quick, who is the Mr. Illinois bodybuilding champion, I figured it would be an excellent way to learn some new weightlifting techniques. And in fact, he has taught me several excellent methods to train smart and hard. The thing I didn’t expect is that […]

Nobody wants to spend hours and hours working out. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to spend less time in the gym, get better results, and do so with even less risk of injuring yourself? There is a way, and it was taught to me by my friend and personal trainer Bill […]

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Most people are overwhelmed with the staggering number of complex and confusing investments that are advertised by investment companies: Buy options and derivatives, they are the key to your financial success! Foreign currency trading—build untold wealth! Whole life insurance will produce returns that amaze your family and friends! Gold will ensure you a golden retirement! […]

When I meet someone who maintains a healthy weight I invariably engage them in a discussion about how they watch what they eat. Every now and then I hear something new, but most of the time they use the same key principles that all healthy eaters seem to have discovered. One key concept that all […]

I began the book with the observation that many Type As are anxious about the prospect of retiring. The open space of retirement is daunting, especially for driven and achievement-oriented people, or even for those Type As who just like to be busy and occupied all the time. I have addressed the challenges of retirement […]